Carleigh Bodrug, a vegan recipe developer and author of the blog PlantYou, has a knack for using food in ways that other bloggers don’t. In her series that she calls “Scrappy Cooking,” she creates simple recipes from parts that would otherwise go to waste, such as
coffee grounds and watermelon rinds. It’s a genius way to save money by getting more out of your food as well as lessening our impact on the environment: the more of the food that can be used, the less will go to landfills. She has a few recipes on her website, but many more throughout her Instagram feed. They’re short and simple enough for even the beginner cook. Here are a few of our favorites:
Almond Cheese Ball
If you’re ever wanted to make homemade nut milk, this almond cheese ball is the perfect way to reuse the leftover pulp. Carleigh adds some nutritional yeast for a super cheesy flavor and spreads it on crackers, but you could pair it with anything you like! It’s a perfect appetizer for entertaining, too.
Aquafaba Chocolate Pudding
This chocolate pudding uses the leftover water from chickpeas to give it structure and creaminess while melted chocolate provides some sweet indulgence. When whipped, chickpea water has a texture similar to egg whites or meringue. We love an earth-friendly dessert.
Pineapple Skin Tea
This tea is actually a Jamaican beverage used to promote digestion. Carleigh boils the leftover skins from pineapple with turmeric and adds a little maple syrup for a warm and cozy fall beverage that still has a tropical kick.
